Cage Fight
by Stephanie Stone
Summary: what happens while Varen is trapped in Ligeia's world


Author's Note: Hey! My name is Steph! This is the first fan fiction that I've written, so PLEASE leave a review! This story is based on the book _Nevermore _by Kelly Creagh, and it takes place in the woodlands of Weir, where Varen is trapped!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Nevermore_

* * *

><p><span>Cage Fight <span>

He runs, but she finds him. Pulls him back into the darkness, into the woodlands of Weir, back to the place where he is haunted, where the Nocs will come. They laugh, they shriek, they crow. They follow him, haunt him, every move he makes, every turn he takes. They follow, watching, telling the white one. The one he used to think so perfect. Her touch, her feel, everything about her. She was his Ligeia. She wanted him, and she was perfect.

Since Varen met Isobel, he was in love, and Ligeia got jealous… and mad. She trapped him in this world, her world. Just like an animal in a cage. Now, he has no way back to Isobel's world, his world, their world. Back in a world where Varen's eternal love exists.

If he ever gets back, he thought, he should thank Mr. Swanson for pairing him and Isobel together for that project, because if he hadn't, he and Isobel never would have talked. Just think, a cheerleader having the guts to talk to Varen, the school freak. They barely noticed each other, and they would never have dreamed of talking, but once he got to know her, he fell. Of course, he never told her. But no, he would never get a chance to thank Mr. Swanson, or tell Isobel how he really feels, because he is trapped in Ligeia's world forever.

Suddenly, he notices a shadow above him. Still, he does not move from where he sits among the dead leaves in the woodlands of Weir, among the spindly black trees with the ash falling like snow, and he does not move his gaze from the pink satin bow in his hands. The bow that Isobel gave him Halloween night, when she took it off her dress, gave it to him through a hole in the wall, and promised to come back.

But no, she didn't come back because she couldn't. Ligeia tricked her, and made Isobel break the bond between her world and this. Then, without a sound, the shadow moved, and next to Varen sat Pinfeathers. Varen didn't need to look at him to know that he had hair that looked like feathers, sharp claws, and a huge hole in his face. Suddenly, he remembered the poem about Pinfeathers and all like him.

_The Nocs _

_The Nocs _

_They Live In The Floor _

_The Nocs _

_The Nocs_

_They Knock On The Door _

_The Nocs _

_The Nocs _

_Where There's One, There's More_

Of course, the poem rang true, because when he looked around, there are more like Pinfeathers, in bird form, whereas Pinfeathers is in his "human" form. Judging by that, mixed with the look on his face, Varen guessed that he had something to say to him. Just as he thought that, Pinfeathers said "You were thinking about the cheerleader." He said it like a fact.

Varen let a few seconds pass before he responded with a cold "No."

He's never really liked Pinfeathers, but he was the only one here that he ever really talk to, besides Ligeia when she made him. Honestly, Varen thought, he's just a big pain.

"Really?" Pinfeathers said "because it's pretty obvious that you were. I mean, you were basically drooling. Of course, who wouldn't drool over her? I mean, have you seen her? She's hot, and I'm talking like a 10 hot. Seriously, why did you take so long to make your move? Not only is she hot, but she's tough…"

Varen tries to tune him out, until something he says makes Varen listen.

"… when I pretended like I was going to shred her to pieces in the cafeteria, she didn't even scream. All she did was fall, and after that she got right back up. The same thing happened when I made those stupid cheerleaders drop her from the top of their pyramid at that ridiculous pep rally. I swear, she was at least 12 feet up, and after about 5 minutes of being passed out, she got up. I swear, there's no getting rid of her."

The fury of a demon instantly possessed Varen. He knew himself no longer. "You what?" he growled.

"Although, it was sweet how she tried to get us to leave the football douche alone," Pinfeathers said.

"How dare you try to hurt her," Varen replied through clenched teeth. He balled up his fists, doing all he could to keep from yelling at Pinfeathers and tearing him limb from limb.

"It's not like we were going to kill her or anything," he said to Varen, with a mock-defensive look on his face. "We were just having a little fun.

Varen stood up, and Pinfeathers followed. "I can't believe you," Varen said. Then, without thinking, he punched Pinfeathers on his right side, Pinfeathers' left, aiming for his nose, and hitting his target. Since Pinfeathers was not expecting it, Varen got a perfect hit. There was a crashing sound, and in the place of his nose was a black hole.

Pinfeathers hissed, reacting fast, aiming his fist for Varen's gut, but before he could get in a hit, Varen managed to grab his fist. With one of Pinfeathers' fists tight in one of Varen's hands, Varen used his other hand to grab just above Pinfeathers wrist, which he proceeded to snap in half. With a loud crack, his hand came off in Varen's. As he crushed the hand in his, watching it turn to dust, Pinfeathers hissing grew louder.

Still high off of his adrenaline rush and his unexpected strength, Varen looked into the eyes of Pinfeathers to find that they were bright red and glowing. His loud hissing grew into a scream of rage. Varen had never seen him so mad.

He lunged at Varen, who ducked. In a flash, Pinfeathers was in front of Varen, and then Pinfeathers had him pinned to the ground. He was about to punch Varen with his remaining hand, but Varen was fast and caught his fist in his own hand.

Varen rolled over so he was on top of Pinfeathers, and he was just about to go for his neck, but before he could, Pinfeathers kicked him in the stomach with indescribable strength that sent Varen flying. He landed with a thud on his back.

After a few second, Varen got up off the ground and dusted himself off. When he looked up, Pinfeathers was there, seething with rage. He ran up to Varen and landed a blow to his gut, and then two or three to his head, although he knew that Varen does not break as easily as he does.

When Varen found the strength to try to lunge at him again, Pinfeathers released a final hiss and disappeared, leaving only a plume of violet smoke behind him.

All the birds around Varen took flight as he fell to the ground in exhaustion and pain.

He felt something warm running down the side of his face and his arm. Blood. He couldn't bring himself to care, for all he could think about was Isobel, his love for her coursing through his veins. The feel of her lips against his.

"Isobel. Somebody. Save me." He whispered, before everything gwent black.


End file.
